Dogs in Purses
by Chirichi916
Summary: A 1x2 get together fic
1. Chapter 1

A HeeroxDuo get-together fic told (mostly) by Wufei.

~W~

When Lady Une approached us about joining the Preventers I was quick to accept the appointment. Yuy, like myself, was relieved to be given a mission.

When it came down to it, we'd expected to die, or for the war to continue indefinitely, planning for our future was one of the things we'd never gotten around to.

I knew Winner had his corporation to run, Barton, as I expected, followed him back to L4. I was, in a way, happy for them, though Barton would have made an excellent agent. But Maxwell's refusal made no sense.

He had no home. No connections. No direction. Perhaps I was giving him too much credit in assuming that he'd recognize the opportunity to ease into postwar civilian life.

I'd also assumed his attachment to Yuy would keep him terrestrial. Perhaps I'd misread him. Duo was a master of masks after all. It'd taken me the better part of the war to understand that, to start learning to read him, the real him. Not the buffoon he paraded around as.

I sat at my desk, staring absently out the window. You could see the Sanc palace grounds from Preventers Headquarters. I'd been assigned an office with Yuy and a third, currently empty desk.

Yuy walked in, professional, observant, he carried a laptop under one arm, a coffee mug in the other. He glanced at my desk, at the one with his nameplate and then the third.

"Where's Maxwell?"

That startled me. _Heero didn't know? _

"He… declined… the appointment." I watched Yuy, the way his jaw tightened, the almost unperceivable display of emotion. I'd have missed it had I not been watching for it.

"Unacceptable." Was all he said, setting down the computer and turning around to face me. Mug in hand as he leaned back against the desk. Even relaxed he was still wired for movement. I absently wondered if that would fade with time, or if it was just a part of who he was now. A part of all of us.

"He didn't talk to you." It was both a question and a statement. I was unsure how Yuy would respond to my prying. But I found Maxwell's course of action irritatingly irrational. His refusal didn't make sense.

"No. He discussed his decision with you?" He raised an eyebrow, a cobalt eye flashed beneath the heavy fall of that hair, the only thing he didn't seem to have perfect control over.

I shook my head. "I was outside Une's office. I overheard and confronted him as he was leaving. He said something nonsensical about dogs in old women's purses."

Heero snorted a low chuckle into his mug, "That does sound like him."

I smiled too.

It'd been an act of self-preservation, during the war, Duo's irrepressible humor. But it had been a balm to us all. My mind drifted as I contemplated the additional mental scarring we might bear had Duo not been there to give us that release, those preciously small moments of laughter.

"Where are you going?" I asked Heero, his hand already on the door. _Had I been so lost in my reverie I hadn't noticed him abandoning his beverage and striding across the room?_

"To talk to Une about an assignment." I nodded, rose, and followed him. We'd been assigned an office together. I assumed that meant we were partners. It seemed logical.

Heero cowed Une's receptionist with a glare as he strode past and walked into Une's office without knocking. I smothered a grin. Une looked up from her paperwork, annoyance clearly etched across her face.

"I require an assignment on L2." Heero stated, firm, direct. I could tell his lack of introduction was irritating to Une. _It's a shame he isn't here. Maxwell would have enjoyed this._

Une's eye twitched slightly and she turned her glare to me. "And you?"

"The same." I responded.

"You haven't been through training."

"Unnecessary." Heero responded. "Chang and I have years of experience working together and are highly trained in all forms of combat and self-defense."

"You are untrained in Preventer policy."

"Unecessary."

"How so?"

"I have read the New Employee Guidelines. There is nothing unclear about Preventer policy." _He was messing with her now. Even I couldn't be bothered to read that pompous document. _

"Clearly you missed the part about respecting other officers."

"Irrelevant." Heero's posture hadn't changed. But I sensed he was growing annoyed with Une's petty objections and unnecessary delays. "I require an assignment on L2." He said again.

"And if I refuse until you've completed training."

"I will offer my resignation, effective immediately."

Une glanced at me as if looking for conformation that he was joking. I shook my head. Negative.

Une sighed.

"This is NOT going to be standard protocol for you two. Go. I'll send you the details of your assignment while you're en route."

Heero nodded and turned and left the office. I shrugged, a movement I'd picked up from Maxwell, and turned to follow him out.

"Chang." I half turned to glance back at Une. "When you find Maxwell, tell him my offer still stands."

"Understood."

Heero was already packed as I re-entered the office. It shouldn't have surprised me that he'd have a bug-out bag already stashed here. I pulled my own out of the locker behind my desk and we made our way down to the elevator and then to the hanger.

The rumor was that mobile suits were being decommissioned. Ours of course had been immediately confiscated while we were being held as terrorists. Yuy and I boarded a small shuttle and took off without waiting for conformation. Une had a few nasty remarks to shout over the com lines on that as well.

I couldn't help but notice the smirk playing itself across 01's face.

"Duo would be proud." I observed, my own smirk finally tearing itself loose as Yuy's breath caught. "He always was a terrible influence."


	2. Chapter 2

~H~

Why hadn't Maxwell told me he wasn't accepting the appointment as a Preventer?

What was he thinking, why would he go running back to L2?

Was he running from something? Why had he not asked for me to back him up?

I glanced at Wufei. A smirk still hovered at his lips. Smug bastard. He'd caught me off-guard with his comment about 02.

I wouldn't allow that again.

~W~

We landed without incident. I wasn't sure why that surprised me. The war was over. The fighting was over. Why should I have expected to be attacked? But I watched Yuy roll his shoulders as we disembarked. He'd been tense too.

We'd talked casually on the flight. Yuy'd already procured Maxwell's location. A junk yard not far from where we'd docked. I followed Heero from the shuttle bay and onto the street. L2 was much as Duo had described it. Derelict and subdued, like the joy of peace celebrated across Earth had somehow avoided making itself known here.

"This is the location" Heero said quietly as we arrived at a tall fence covered in graffiti. Mountains of scrap could be seen rising behind it. We followed the sidewalk along the perimeter looking for the entrance.

"Yeah, yeah! I'll be back in a minute." I almost bumped into Yuy as he froze in his tracks. Duo flew out of a gap in the fence I hadn't even noticed and smacked straight into him. Duo bounced back, his foot slipping out from under him. Heero's hands shot out and he caught our former comrade, dragging him upright.

"Heero!?" Duo's violet eyes were saucers. "Heero, what are you doing here?"

"An assignment." Was it my imagination, or were Heero's ears red?

I stepped from behind Yuy's back

"Chang! You got drug up here too!" He grinned devilishly, "Did you miss me already Fei-chan?"

"Idiot." I muttered, noting he was still caught in Heero's grip. Yuy seemed to notice at that moment as well as he hastily released Duo's wrists and took a step back.

"So um… What's your mission? Why'd Une send you to L2? I mean, isn't this kind of the boondocks for Preventers?"

I flipped open my phone. _What WAS our mission?_ Une had finally gotten around to sending something.

"Mission: Observe one Duo Maxwell former MS pilot and aquitted-terrorist on the grounds that he failed to pass exams of mental stability. If possible enlist the brat.

–Une"

I snorted a laugh. Heero raised an eyebrow.

"You're our mission Maxwell."

"What?! That bitch. There's no way." Duo made a grab for my phone. Heero flipped his own phone open.

"You're an acquitted terrorists and have been declared mentally unstable."

"If I'm acquitted than I'm not a terrorist!" Duo fumed "And NONE of us passed that psychiatric exam!"

Heero turned towards the hole Duo had shot out of. "It's this way." It was a statement.

"Is what?"

"Your safe house." Heero stepped through the fence.

Duo sighed exasperated, and followed us back through.


	3. Chapter 3

~Hilde~

"Wow Duo that was fast…" I turned and froze as Heero stepped through the door, followed by Wufei and finally Duo following sheepishly behind.

"Hey Hilde, sorry, didn't get there. But look what I found scuttling around in the gutter."

"Scuttling indeed." I glared at Heero.

_What was he doing here? He abandoned Duo for the Peacecraft brat and Duo had accepted his choice and come back to make his own life. _

_What kind of twisted game was Heero playing at?_

"What are you doing here?" I asked

"They're on a mission. They'll just be staying a little while." Duo placated.

"And sleeping WHERE exactly?" I pointed out. I had a small room off the back of the office and Duo's bunk was above the office desk. The only other piece of furniture we owned was a ragged couch and a kitchen table with mismatched stools.

"They've slept in worse places." Duo chuckled.

"Well no one's sleeping with me." I growled.

"We can settle ourselves." Heero again. Ugh! That guy made me so mad! How dare he show up here!

"Duo. Can I speak with you a moment?" I shot another glare at Heero, "Privately."

"Yeah, um… Make yourselves at home err… whatever." Duo mumbled and followed me out into the scrap yard.

I whirled as the door scraped shut behind us.

"Duo, what are they doing here?"

He did that stupid thing where he holds his hand behind his head and shrugs and tries to laugh it off like it's all some funny misunderstanding. I wasn't buying it.

"I don't know. Really Hilde. They're here on a mission and maybe… maybe it'll be fun. You know. Here I was worried I'd never see them again."

"Duo." My voice softened, "I've been waking up to your nightmares every night for… almost a month now. And it's always his name your screaming when you come crashing awake."

"Yeah but, that's not Heero's fault. You can't hold that against him?" Pain flashed across his amethyst eyes as he said the other pilot's name.

"He made the wrong choice." I muttered, stepping in to wrap my arms around Duo. His arms closed around me and he rested his cheek on my head.

"It was the only choice he had. The princess she, she needed him. Needs him."

"You needed him too."

"Nah. I got you, right?"

There it was, that stupid grin plastered on his face again. But I smiled for him anyway.

"Yeah. You got me, Duo."

Let him hide behind that jester's mask. I'd be there for him when it crumbled.

He deserved for _someone_ to be there.

I let him step away and followed him back into the pieced together trailer we called "the office".


	4. Chapter 4

~W~

Duo followed Hilde outside, throwing a quick grin back at myself and Yuy. The door creaked shut behind them. Heero moved to a window.

Duo's back was to us, completely obscuring our view of Hilde, but I watched Heero stiffen as her arms slid around him and leaned down to.. we couldn't see...kiss her?

I turned away. It was none of my business.

I shot a sideways glance at Heero as he moved past me to sit heavily on the couch. He looked slightly ill.

Duo and Hilde re-entered moments later, Heero straightened.

"Have you guys eaten? 'Fraid we don't have much in the kitchen. But Hilde's volunteered to cook if we go get something."

"I what!? I didn't!" Hilde stammered

"I will cook." I stepped forward. "Duo, take Heero. He can buy our supplies as it's his fault we're imposing on you unannounced. Hilde, if you could show me your cooking facilities."

Hilde shot a worried glance at Duo, who brightened his smile and said

"Guess it's you and me 01!" and started out the door. Heero raised an eyebrow in my direction but turned wordlessly and followed him.

Hilde stared at the door they'd exited through a moment longer than turned away from me.

"This way."

I followed her.

"There isn't much to it." Not much was an understatement. The galley style kitchen was windowless and not much bigger than a walk-in closet. A two-burner stove and half size oven squeezed in between a refrigerator and a single basin sink. Against the other wall sat a card table and mismatched stools.

All three pieces had been artfully painted.

"The pots are under the sink."

"Did you do the painting?" I nodded towards the table set.

"Most of it. The feathers were Duo. Wings are sort of his thing."

I nodded.

"What are you doing here, Wufei?"

The girl was direct.

"We have an assignment."

"So go do your assignment. Why come here and upset Duo?"

Upset him? The girl wasn't making sense. Why would our presence upset him?

"Explain your meaning."

"Explain?" she looked at me with disdain before taking a melodramatic breath. "Don't you get it? Duo's totally in love with that jerk Heero. But that guy picked the Peacecraft girl instead. Duo's nursing a broken heart. You guys showing up here must hurt like hell."

"What do mean by Heero 'picked' Relena?"

"What do you think I mean? He signed on to be her knight in shining armor didn't he. A part of her private security force."

I shook my head.

"Heero declined to join Relena's security detail. He's just a Preventer."

"He what?"


	5. Chapter 5

~H~

I followed Duo back out through the gap in the fence. Of course he wouldn't use the main entrance, the drive located just another block up. A casually camouflaged hole in the wall was much more his style.

Duo strode ahead of me, his braid bouncing off his back.

Tantalizing.

I reached out and caught it. Duo froze in his tracks.

"Heero?"

I'd frozen too. His hair was even softer than I remembered.

"Sorry." I muttered, dropping the braid.

"so uh… How's the Queen of the World."

"Relena is… well. Her new position suits her."

Duo flashed a grin,

"She always was the perfect politician."

"I believe she'll do well."

Duo nodded, grinned again and turned the corner. I fell into step beside him, but the silence between us grew despite the smile plastered on his face.

"Hilde seems… well."

"Oh you know, fire and vinegar and everything." I watched the tension start to bleed out of Duo's shoulders as he talked. "But yeah. She's got a real good head for business and her scrap art is starting to sell. I think Quatre's got something to do with that. He bought a couple for a garden, and you know how it goes. All of L4 has to follow whatever Winner does." He gave a wry chuckle. "I suspect Quat knew that would happen. But it's been really fun, getting the yard up and running with her."

"You seem to be adjusting well."

Duo grinned again and shrugged nonchalantly.

I've always wondered at his ability to move like that. He's got the languid fluidity of a cat, lazy and graceful all at once.

"Yeah. I guess Hilde's a good influence. Who knew _I'd_ ever settle down in one spot? If I get any more domesticated she'll probably have me down on one knee." I stumbled a step. Duo's laugh faltered,

"You okay?"

"Affirmative."

But my head was spinning and there was a tightness in my chest I couldn't shake. Like my entire ribcage was constricting around my lungs. I tried to take a deep breath. Duo was staring, concern etched in eyes, a fake half-smile frozen.

_Get it together!_

I nodded and Duo turned slowly and led me another few blocks to a crumbling row of buildings.

"Well uh, this is it."

"This is what?" I glanced skeptically at the partially boarded up storefront. A graffiti covered piece of plywood filled the largest window, and the place looked dim despite the open sign hanging crookedly on the door.

"Um… groceries?"

I raised an eyebrow. I was quite sure there was nothing in that derelict building that anyone should be eating, but I followed Duo inside.

I was pleasantly surprised. The store was not brightly lit, but not nearly as dark as I had first suspected. It appeared clean and was well organized, though there was a distinct lack of fresh food and only 4 short isles and a wall of freezers.

"Sorry" Duo laughed nervously "L2 tends to specialize in canned cuisine."

I raised an eyebrow. We'd spent the entire war living off canned food, why would he apologize for its availability now?

"I bet you eat a lot better with the princess, huh?"

Again, I was failing to follow him.

"Relena…"

"Hey peaches!" Duo darted across the isle "Hilde loves these things!" He shot an oddly guilty look at me "I'll pick these up. Don't worry."

I extended the basket I'd procured on my in. "I believe Wufei's instructions were that I would pay. What do you suggest for a main course?"

Duo spun in a few slow circles before his eyes landed on a boxes of pasta.

"Pasta?"

I held out the basket again, waiting for Duo to make his selection.

"Wufei'd probably freak if I fed you guys mac'n'cheese, oh I know, spaghetti, that's adult food right?"

"I like macaroni."

Duo shot me a startled look and then broke into a genuine grin. I felt myself returning his smile. There's something exhilarating about getting Duo to truly smile.

Quatre phrased it best **_"…Duo's smiles… Have you noticed? He smiles all the time but his eyes, they're flat. But then when he really smiles, his eyes could make the stars dance." _**

We made our purchase and I followed Duo back to the scrap yard. My head was dancing with the smile plastered across his face, he was looking forward to having Wufei cook macaroni and cheese, but I couldn't shake the tightness in my chest.

I thought about the mission Une had assigned.

Duo was clearly happy here. Apparently he even had plans to propose to Hilde. There was no reason to suspect Duo's mental state. My own was probably much more fragile.

Wufei and I would leave after we had eaten. We could sleep on the shuttle.


End file.
